Descending Tracts

I: To describe the pyramidal and extrapyramidal tracts.

II: To discuss the functions of the descending tracts.

III: To define the upper and the lower motor neurons.

THE MOTER TRACTSThe motor tracts (descending tracts) are divided into two

groups of tracts; the pyramidal and the extra-pyramidal

tracts.

THE PYRAMIDAL TRACTS

The pyramidal tracts are three tracts of common origin but

separate destinations and these tracts are:

1. The corticonuclear tract; which originates in the cerebral

cortex and terminates on motor nuclei in the midbrain and pons.

2. The corticobulbar tract; which originates in the cerebral

cortex and terminates on motor nuclei in the pons and medulla.

3. The corticospinal tract; which originates in the cerebral

cortex and terminates on the motor neurons of the spinal cord.

THE ORIGIN OF THE PYRAMIDAL TRACTSThe pyramidal tracts originate from:

1. The primary motor area: 30% of the fibers.

2. The premotor and supplementary motor areas: 30% of the fibers.

3. The somatic sensory areas: 40% of the fibers.

The pyramidal tracts arise from lamina V of the cerebral cortex which

contains the pyramidal cells.

There are two types of fibers in the pyramidal tracts:

a. Thick fibers (16 um in diameter).

These fibers arise from the giant pyramidal cells (Betz cells) found

only in the primary motor area. They constitute only 3% of the total

number of fibers.

b. Thin fibers (less than 4 um in diameter).

These fibers arise from small pyramidal cells found in different parts of

the cortex. They constitute the remaining 97% of the fibers.

THE CORTICONUCLEAR TRACT

ORIGIN:

These tracts are originated from the eye field area in the frontal lobe

(area 8) and the related areas in the motor and the somatosensory areas.

COURSE AND DESTINATION:

Fibers descend down through the genu of the internal capsule to the

brainstem. They terminate on the nuclei of cranial nerves III, IV in the

midbrain and VI in the pons on both sides.

FUNCTIONS

1. Voluntary conjugate movements of the eye to look at different objects.

2. Facilitate the stretch reflex of the external ocular muscles.

THE CORT1COBULBAR TRACT

ORIGIN:

These tracts are originated from the lower part of the motor and sensory

areas of the cerebral cortex.

COURSE AND DESTINATION:

Fibers descend down through the genu of the internal capsule to the

pons and medulla oblongata. They cross to the opposite side to terminate

on the nuclei of the cranial nerves V, VII, IX, XI and XII.

FUNCTIONS

1. Voluntary movement of muscles in the head and neck.

2. Facilitation of stretch reflex of these muscles

Figure 8 -1: The origin, course, and destinations of the descending tracts.

THE CORTICOSPINAL TRACTORIGIN:

These tracts are originated from the motor, premotor, supplementary motor

and somatic sensory areas of the cerebral cortex.

COURSE AND DESTINATIONS:

Fibers descend in the corona radiata, then through the anterior two-thirds of

the posterior limb of the internal capsule down to the brainstem. In the

medulla, fibers collect together to form the medullary "pyramid". In the

lower medulla, pyramidal fibers take one of three courses:

1. 90% of the fibers cross to the opposite side in the motor decussation and

descend in the posterolateral column of the spinal white matter as the

"lateral corticospinal tract".

2. 8% of the fibers descend directly in the ventral column of the spinal

white matter of the same side as the "ventral corticospinal tract". They

cross gradually in the cervical and upper thoracic segments of the spinal

cord.

3. 2% of the fibers descend directly in the posterolateral column of the

spinal white matter as the "uncrossed corticospinal tract".

Fig. 8-2: The corticospinal tract

FUNCTIONS OF CORTICOSPINAL TRACTS

The crossed (lateral and ventral) corticospinal tracts have the

following functions:

1. Production of fine voluntary movements of the distal parts of the body.

2. Facilitation of lower motor neurons and stretch reflex.

The uncrossed corticospinal tracts have the following functions:

1. Provide bilateral innervation of some muscles as the respiratory and

abdominal muscles.

2. Gross positioning movements controlled by the supplementary motor

area.

3. Partial recovery of movements after injury of the crossed tracts.

THE EXTRA PYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

The extrapyramidal system (Fig. 8-3) includes all parts of the nervous

system other than the pyramidal tracts that contribute to the control of

skeletal muscle activity.

These parts include the basal ganglia, the red nucleus, the reticular

formation of the brainstem, the vestibular nuclei, and the tectum of

the midbrain and the inferior olive of the medulla.

All these parts send signals down to the spinal motor nuclei in the

descending extrapyramidal tracts.

THE BASAL GANGLIA

It receives projection fibers from the motor cortex to corpus striatum and

then to globus pallidus then to several nuclei in the brainstem. These

nuclei include the subthalamus, substantia nigra, red nucleus,

tectum of the midbrain, reticular formation, vestibular nucleus and

inferior olive.

THE RED NUCLEUSIt receives projection fibers from the motor cortex (the corticorubral tract)

and collaterals from the corticospinal tract and it also receives projection fibers

from the globus pallidus of the basal ganglia.

All these fibers synapse in the lower part of the red nucleus which contains

giant pyramidal neurons similar to Betz cells from which Rubrospinal tract

originate, cross to the opposite side and descend very closely anterior to the

lateral corticospinal tract.

FUNCTIONS OF THE RED NUCLEUS

1. It is a relay station in the corticorubrospinal pathway which acts as an

accessory pathway for the corticospinal tracts. This pathway can initiate

gross movements.

2. It is inhibitory to the motor neurons and stretch reflex through stimulation of

the inhibitory reticular formation of the brainstem.

Lesions of the pyramidal tracts usually involve the corticorubrospinal

pathway. If the latter is spared, a good deal of gross movements is retained but

only the fine movements of the fingers and hands are considerably impaired.

THE TECTUM OF THE MIDBRAIN

It receives projection fibers from the globus pallidus of the basal ganglia,

and gives origin to two descending extrapyramidal tracts:

•The lateral tectospinal tract:

Originates from the superior colliculus (the center of visual reflexes),

crosses to the opposite side and terminates in the cervical segments of

the spinal cord. It is concerned with directing the eye and turning the

head towards a light source (visuospinal reflexes).

•The ventral tectospinal tract:

Originates from the inferior colliculus (the center of auditory

reflexes), crosses to the opposite side and terminates in the cervical

segments of the spinal cord. It is concerned with turning the head to

direct the ears towards a sound source (audiospinal reflexes).

THE RETICULAR FORMATION OF THE BRAINSTEM

It receives projection fibers from the globus pallidus of the basal ganglia,

and gives origin to two descending extrapyramidal tracts:

•The lateral reticulospinal tract:

Originates from the inhibitory reticular formation of the medulla. Some

fibers cross to the opposite side, but most fibers descend in the same side

of the spinal cord. It inhibits the gamma motor neurons, thus inhibiting

the stretch reflex and skeletal muscle tone.

• The ventral reticulospinal tract:

Originates from the facilitatory reticular formation of the pons. Fibers

descend without crossing to terminate on the gamma motor neurons of

the ipsilateral side of the spinal cord. It facilitates the gamma motor

neurons, thus facilitating the stretch reflex and the skeletal muscle tone.

THE VESTIBULAR NUCLEUS OF THE MEDULLA

It receives projection fibers from the globus pallidus of the basal ganglia,

and gives origin to two descending extrapyramidal tracts;

• The lateral vestibulospinal tract:

Originates from the vestibular nucleus, descends uncrossed to terminate

on the alpha and gamma motor neurons.

• The ventral vestibulospinal tract:

Originates from the vestibular nucleus, descends on both sides of the

spinal cord to terminate on the alpha and gamma motor neurons.

The vestibulospinal tracts facilitate the stretch reflex and skeletal

muscle tone and they mediate some postural reflexes

THE INFERIOR OLIVE OF THE MEDULLA

The inferior olive receives input fibers from the motor cortex, the

globus pallidus of the basal ganglia and the spinal cord.

It sends output fibers to the cerebellum and it projects the fibers of

the olivospinal tract which descend in the spinal cord to terminate

on the ventral horn cells of the same side.

The olivospinal tract is facilitatory to the stretch reflex and the

skeletal muscle tone.

The inferior olive works in close association with the cerebellum to

correct any deviation of the muscle contraction from the preset plan

of movement (the servocomparator function of the cerebellum).

GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF THE

EXTRAPYRAMIDAL SYSTEM

1. Mediation of gross movements which involve a group of

large muscles.

2. Provides a weaker alternative to the pyramidal system for

mediation of some discrete movements.

3. Mediation of fixation and positioning movements which

accompany other fine movements.

4. Adjustment of the skeletal muscle tone through facilitation

or inhibition.

5. Adjustment of muscle movements to match preset plans to

reach a certain target.

Figure 8 - 3: A schematic diagram of the extrapyramidal system.

THE UPPER AND LOWER MOTOR NEURONS

To do a voluntary movement, signals start in the motor

neurons of the cerebral cortex and reach the skeletal muscles

through two orders of neurons:

1. Upper motor neurons:

These are the neurons of the pyramidal and extrapyramidal

tracts in the CNS. They extend from the cerebral cortex and

the extrapyramidal nuclei down to the motor neuron pool of

the brainstem and spinal cord.

2. Lower motor neurons:

These are the neurons of the motor neuron pool and their

axons which form the motor nerves to the skeletal muscles.

Fig.8-4: Upper and lower motor neuron